Steam-generator



T. L. STURTEVANT.

STEAM GENERATOR.

Patented May 28', 1889.

Il .Nfl

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

THOMAS I.. STURTEVANT, 0F FRAMINGIIAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEAM-G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,971, dated May 28, 1889. Application filed January 2S, 1889. Serial No. 297,240. (No model.)

To all whom, t 71mg/ concern/.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. STURTEVANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Framingham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Generators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to steam-generators, particularly that class in which a forced circulation is employed, or, brietlystated, a generator formed of a single vaporizing or steamproducing element, or series of such elements, connected and co-operating as a unit, each element consisting', primarily, of double-tube sect-ions so arranged and connected that water forced in at the end of one of such sections shall emergein the form of steam at the discharge end of a second and co-operating section.

My invention relates to the peculiar construction and disposition of the several sections, which together form a single steamproducing element, said element being capable of and adapted for multiplication. To this end I employ a series of double-tube sections hermetically united at the ends and nested one within the other. The size of these double tubes are to be such that sufficient space is left between the inner surface of one tube-section and the outer surface of the next adjacent tube-section to admit a number of steam-pipes, which connect said tube-sections in series. Since these connecting-pipes are in diameter equal to the space which exists between any two double-tube sections, t-he latter are contiguous their entire length along said pipes; hence the latter act as braces or supports and prevent collapse of the inside tubes, which go to make up the double-tube sections, and in this consists a second feature of my invention. In this way lighter metal can be used in their construction, weight saved, and the elect of the heat increased, as it passes by conduction more readily through thin than through thick metal.

The drawings represent, in Figure l, acentral sectional elevation longitudinally of a single vaporizing or steam-producin g clement embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section transversely of the same. Fig. 3 is a modified form of construction in which the element is made more powerful.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a single steam-producing element composed, primarily, of a series ofidouble-tube sections, I3 Bf, which are formed by means ot' two tubes, a b a b', sealed or united at their ends by means of the screw-threaded sleeve j, adjacent one to the other, whereby steamgenerating chambers c c are created, while a hollow flue-space, C, is left for the escape of smoke and heat from the heat-producing agency located at one end thereof. Said double tube-sections are disposed concentrically of each other or nested together. The steam-producing chambers are preferably narrow or contracted, but not necessarily capillary, as steam is not formed at once, un-

/ less the water is injected very hot, when the steam simply increases in heat. To unite these several double-tube sections that they may operate to induce a forced circulation through the element, A, of which they form a part, and thereby create steam, I have located a series of pipes, D D', preferably ordinary steam-pipes, which are to snugly iit between any two of the double-tube sections. (See Fig. 2.) Since said pipes extend contiguously the length of the tubes B 3', they serve as supports or braces, and thereby strengthen the entire element. Iflurthermore, they greatly increase the heating-surface. As indicated in Fig. l, said pipes D D unite the opposite ends of the double-tube sections l; B', and maybe arranged as shown in Fig. 2. If desired, the capacity of the element maybe increased and the various component parts multiplied. In said Fig. 2l the connecting-pipesA are twelve in number, arranged in two series of six each, and located between the double-tube sections, thereby strellgtlwning the latter, as before alluded to. Further, they subdivide and divert the llame from the lamp as it passes to the chimney or stack into several flue-spaces.

IOO

The lamp E (shown in Fig. l) may be of any construction'desired, preferably one adapted to use liquid fuel, as more readily controlled, and said lamp is located within a eombustionchamber, e. This latter' is formed by means of a short double tube, .F, after the manner of the tube-sections B B, and is snugly tted about and secured to vone end of the outermost tube, B. These two double tubes F B are united by one or more pipes, g g, arranged as shown. This combustion-chamber is very necessary for the following reason: the gases will not readily burn in confined spaces; hence the necessity of burning all the gases in the combustion -chainber if possible before allowing them to pass into the narrow parts of the steam-generating element, A,'which will extract their heat too rapidly to allow them easilyto continue to burn, provided they have been only partially burned in the larger chamber.

Upon reference to Fig. l the complete gen erator is shown, in which the water-supply f enters the double tube F, thence by pipes g g to outer double-tube section, B, and then con: ducted by conneetin g pipes D to opposite end of the next adjacent interior double-tube section, B', from which it emerges in the form of highly-heated steam, and is conveyed by the discharge-pipe 'L' to the source to be suppliedengine, pump, or other steam-operated mech- UIISIH.

In order to convey away the smoke and heat from the lamp or other heating agency, I have entered the end of this element, A, opposite saidagency within a chimney or stack, II. In practice I [ind it preferable to have the chimney end of the element, A, when the latter is operated horizontally slightly higher than the lamp end, The activity'of this steamproducing element may be controlled'in several ways, either by varyin the intensity of the heating agency or by rendering the effccts of said agency greater or less by controlling the speed of the pump either to increase the supply of liquid, if the heat :is too intense, or te diminish the liquid -supply if the heat is not sufficient.

It is evident that the steamproducing element above described is adapted for vmultiplication, and, as such result can be accomplished in several ways obvious to those skilled in engineering, I shall make no further allusion thereto.

The sleeve;l hereinbefore described is described and claimed in my applieation,Serial No. 301,613,1iled March l, 1889. I therefore do not claim it here; but

Vhat I desire to claim isl. A steam-producing element composed of a series of double-tube sections, as described, nested one within the other and with spaces between each two adjacent tube-sections, a series of pipes located within said spaces and contiguous to any two adjacent sections, a fluid-inlet supply in one of the tube-sections, and a steam-outlet discharge in a second, and co-operating double-tube section with means for heating, substantially as specified.

2. A steam-generating element composed of two or more double-tube section-s concentrically disposed one within the other, a series of supports formed by a number of pipes between two adjacent sections and contiguous to the latter, said pipes interconnecting adjacent tube-sections, combined with a coinbustionchamber, as described, and a fluidl inlet supply and steam discharge from different tube-sections of the element, asv and for purposes herein set forth.

- 3. In combination with the vaporizing elelment A, composed of the sections B B', formed by the tubes a Z9 a b and thelongitudinal connecting-pipes D D', contiguous to two adjacent tube-sections, a eombuStien-chamber, F, of short double tubes secured to the element and intercommunicating therewith by pipes g g, the lamp E, stackH, inlet suppl y-pipe f, and steam-discharge t', substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in Y presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS L. STURTEVANT. Vitnesses:

T. M. HAWKiNs, R. L. DAINGERFIELD. 

